Linking machine



Sept. 30, 1941. E. L, MQRRQW 2,257,509

LINKING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 @12 $24M) %MMM ATTORNEY p 30, 1941- E. L. MORROW 2,257,509

LINKING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ATTORNEY P 1941. E. L. MORROW 2,257,509

LINKING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN R ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1941 LINKING MACHINE Earle L. Morrow, Johnston, R. If, assignor to Frank Morrow Ca, Island Inci, a corporation of Ithode Application May 1, 1940, Serial No. 332,726

My present invention relates to the jewelry art,

6 Claims.

and has specific reference to a novel method and a novel apparatus for linking two pieces of jewelry, such as for example findings. V

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a novel apparatus for linking together zine or the like, and to mechanically close each open link after two articles to bejoined have been placed in linking position.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement whereby different sizes of connecting links may be readily used, by interchanging the link magazine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a positioning apparatus for the open link, which maybe selectively set to expose a predetermined portion of the link side, for hooking articles to be joined thereto.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel apparatus and a novel method of linking, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the novel machine;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single openended link Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the closing of the open-ei1ded link to join two articles of jewelry or the like;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view, partly broken away, showing details of the clutch mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectionaldetail of the actuating mechanism for the lower jaw;

,Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the clutch disk; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the manual control for the clutch key;

. Fig. 16 is a section on line Iii-J6 on Fig. 13; Fig. 17 isa top plan View of the lower jaw; and Figs. 18 to 22 inclusive are diagrammatic views showing the relative positions of the upper and lower jaws and of the connecting links.

It has been found desirable to use a semiautomatic linking apparatus for joining articles of jewelry or the like which areto be joined by connecting links. I have devised an apparatus which utilizes open endlinks positioned in a magazine, preferably in strip form, and successively conveys the links to a positioning head, which grips each open link and positions it with its open ends vertically upwardly, so that two articles to be joined may be hooked over the open ends, whereupon a pressure jaw moves downwardly to close the open ends and complete the connecting link. The-pressure jaw is then moved upwardly and the positioning jaw ejects the completed link and positions a succeeding open link for the next joining.

Referring to the drawings, the improved machine includes a support It] provided with legs or standards II and a top l2, the top carrying a rear standard 13 inwhich the ends of the upper jaw lever l4 and the lower jaw lever I5 are pivotally mounted-the upper jaw. lever I4 having a spring l6 continually urgingit to upward position. The lower jaw support l5 carries a detachable magazine IS in which open links Ila, see Fig. 2, are housed, and are continually urged laterally toward the lower jaw mechanism H by any conventionalmeans such as a spring, or by the slide and weight arrangement illustrated in Fig. 13. Referring now to Fig. 4, a continually operatingelectric motor 20 conveys power through a suitable reduction gearing 2! to a power shaft 22 which has a clutch plate 23v keyed thereto, the clutch plate 23 having a plurality of clutch open-v ings'24 therein, as illustratedin Fig. 6. The

mechanism for operating the lower or position- Fig. 8 is a perspective view ofthe clutch key;

ing jaw mechanism includes a disk 24a which is keyed to the power shaft 22 at the end thereof, and operating rod 25 mounted on the face of the disk 24a for reciprocating motion upon rotation of the disk. The lower portion of the operating rod25 is of a hollow shell formation as indicated at 26, and houses a rod 21 which has a vertical slot 28 in which a pivoted pawl 29 is spring pressed outwardly by means of a U-shaped spring 30, the upper finger 3| of the pawl 29 being normally positioned in the line of vertical movement of the lower end of the shell 25, and the lowerend of the pawl having a tooth or detent 32 for better contact with the end of the slot 28.

spring 30, and permits downward movement of the operating rod 25 and shell 25 without further movement of the rod 21.

The mechanism for operating the movable upper head is also disclosed in Fig. 4, and includes a rotatable sleeve 49 which has a transverse passageway 4| housing a slidable key 42 of rectangular formation, which is pressed laterally by a spring 43 into engagement with one of the clutch openings 24. The key 42 has a slot 44 in which an arcuate stop 45 is movable, the collar having a circular groove or recess 46 therefor, the arcuate key 45 normally extending into the slot 44 to retain the clutch key 42 in inoperative position by means of the upward movement of the spring 41, which is positioned on the arcuate key' operating rod 48 and pressed against an abutment '49 secured to the table l2. The rod 48 has anoperating strap or rod 50 attached thereto, the lower end of the rod 50 being connected to a foot pedal 5|, see Fig. 1, which is pivotally mounted to the machine support l0. When the foot pedal 5| is depressed, thus pulling the rod 50 downwardly, the arcuate key 45 is withdrawn from the slot 44 and allows the clutch key42 to move to the right so as to engage one of the clutch slots 24, thus causing positive rotation of the sleeve 45. This rotation continues as long as the foot pedal 5| is depressed, but ends as soon. as the foot pedal 5| is permitted to rise by pressure of the spring 41, the arcuate member 45 having a sharp bevelled edge 52, see Fig. '7, which enters into the slot 44 and forces: the clutch key 42 back against its spring 44 to declutch the collar from the disk 23. 49 is keyed to a cam plate 53 having a cam edge 54 which contacts a roller 55 which is adjustably mounted on the upper lever M to produce actuating movement of the pressure jaw Hi, the adjustment of the roller 55 varying the stroke of the upper jaw.

The lower jaw mechanism ll comprises a block 56 having a vertical slot 51 into which the links When the cam 54 has made a quarter turn, it reaches the position shown in Fig. 1, the upper jaw being still in upward position inasmuch as the cam roller 55 has as yet not reached the high point of the cam 54; however, the shell 26 has pushed the rod 21 downwardly sufiiciently to cause the lever 60 to push the plunger 59 and a link Ila into the position shown in Fig. 19. At this point the pawl 29 is tripped by the cam plate 35 so that further movement of the cylinder 25 does not move the rod 21 but causes a lost motion as the pin 52 rises within the slot 63 in the shell 26. At this point also, the link Ila is pushed partially out of the slot 51 and The sleeve pivoted to a lever 6|] which in turn is pivoted to mechanism, as hereinabove described, and operation of the cam 54. .As the foot pedal is depressed, the upper and lower jaws and the cam mechanism are positioned as shown in Fig. 9, the hollow shell 26 and rod 21 being positioned as shown in Fig. 9, and the plunger 59 in. the slot 51 being positioned as shown'in Fig. 18.

held in position by the plunger 59 so that two articles to be joined may be placed over the open arms of the link as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 19. Further movement of the cam 54 causes the cam roller 55 to ride up on the cam as shown in Fig. 10 and pushes the jaw member |4 downwardly. In this position the upper jaw member 8 has just reachedthe'upper edges of the link I la as shown in Fig.20 and the pin 62 in the rod 21 has slid upwardly in the slot 63 until it just begins to engage'the upper end of the slot. As the cam roller 55 rides over the high point of the cam 54, as shown in Fig. 11, the upper jaw member i8 is given sufiicient downward push to close the link as shown in Fig. 21 and to cause the cylinder 26 to begin to push the rod 21 downwardly again. As the cam roller reaches the position shown in Fig. 12, where it has snapped by the cam high point 54, the upper jaw member |4 snaps open upwardly and simultaneously therewith the rod 21 is given an additional slight push downwardly which causes the plunger 58 to push the link completely out of its slot 51 as shown in Fig, 22. As the cam continues to ride around to the position shown in Fig. 9 again, the upper jaw member I4 retains its open position, but the cylinder 26 is pulled upwardly and causes the pin 62 to slide to the lower end of the slot 63, at which point the spring 30 pushes the pawl to the position shown in Fig. 5 and the mechanism is ready for a second cycle.

It can thus be readily seen that the hereinabove described mechanism is adapted to successively move an open linkto a predetermined position, permitting insertion of articles on the open arm of the link, moves to close the link, and then ejects the closed link from the mechanism. The adjustment 5|, which regulates the stroke of the plunger 59, permits a predetermined portion of the arms of the link to become exposed so that varying thicknesses of the articles to be joined may be accommodated. It is also possible by varying the front slot portion of the mechanism to provide different widths and thicknesses of slots to accommodate different sizes of links without reorganizing the entire mechanism. The link Ila may be separate, or may be in strip form or of solid metal heavily scored which permits the plunger 59 to break off suificient metal to form a link on each upward stroke. It should also be. noted that while I have described a certain type of clutch mechanism for stopping or starting the device, other types of clutch mechanism may be used and a conventional brake mechanism may also be used to provide an immediate stopping of the jaws when the clutch is released.

While I have described a specific constructional embodiment of my invention and a specific linking method, it is obvious that changes may be made in the size and shape of the parts, in their relative arrangement and the materials used without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the type described, a magazine for holding open connecting links, means for feeding said links from said magazine to a slot, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot, a cooperating pressure jaw pivotally movable above said slot, means for reciprocating said positioning jaw to move an open link to exposed position at the end of said slot, and means for moving said pressure jaw to close said exposed link, said second named means being adapted to move said positioning jaw to eject said link from said slot after the closing action of said pressure jaw.

2. In an apparatus of the type described, a magazine for holding open connecting links, means for feeding said links from said magazine to a slot, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot, a cooperating pressure jaw pivotally movable above said slot, means for reciprocating said positioning jaw to move an open link to exposed position at the end of said slot, and means for moving said pressure jaw to close said exposed link, said second named means being adapted to move said positioning jaw to eject said link from said slot after the closing action of said pressure jaw, said reciprocating means including a telescopic link for arresting movement of said positioning jaw during the movement of said pressure jaw.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, a magazine having a depending track, open connecting links in strip form of substantially U- shaped slidable on said track, a follower adapted to push successive links of said strip into a slot at right angles to said track, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot and adapted to cut successive links from said strip and to push them in exposed position at the end of said slot, and a pivotally mounted pressure jaw movable over said slot and adapted to close said exposed link.

4. In an apparatus of the type described, a magazine having a depending track, open connecting links in strip form of substantially U- shape slidable on said track, a follower adapted to push successive links of said strip into a slot at right angles to said track, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot and adapted to cut successive links: from said strip and to push them in exposed position at the end of said slot, and a pivotally mounted pressure jaw movable over said slot and adapted to close said exposed link, said positioning jaw being movable to eject said link from said slot after the closing action of said pressure jaw.

5. In an apparatus of the type described, a. magazine for feeding open connecting links to a slot, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot, a cooperating pressure jaw pivotally mounted over the end of said slot, a power driven cam, adjustable meanis associated with said pressure jaw and riding on said cam whereby movement of said cam causes movement of said pressure jaw, and means connected with said cam for reciprocating said positioning jaw to move a link to exposed position at the end of said slot.

6. In an apparatus of the type described, a magazine for feeding open connecting links to a slot, a positioning jaw reciprocable in said slot, a cooperating pressure jaw pivotally mounted over the end of said slot, a power driven cam, adjustable means associated with said pressure jaw and riding on said cam whereby movement of said cam causes movement of said pressure jaw, and means connected with said cam for reciprocating said positioning law to move a link to exposed position at the end of said slot and to move said positioning jaw to eject said link after the closing action of the pressure jaw.

EARLE MORR We 

